ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. current — electric
  3. net — for catching
  4. stand — to bear
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. current — happening now
  7. squash — to crush
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. row — a line
  10. rock — music
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. content — happy
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. current — of water
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. net — in sport
  17. squash — the sport
  18. net — after costs
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. content — the amount
  23. rock — a stone
  24. rock — to move gently

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com